Delivered to 15,000 Plainfield "doorsteps" Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Scuffle damages Library's theft protection system


The security panel on the left is visibly bent after a scuffle.
 

Visitors to the Plainfield
Public Library in recent days will have noticed that a portion of the anti-theft panels near the exit is blocked with yellow CAUTION tape.

Seems that a scuffle broke out after school let out one recent afternoon and in the pushing and shoving a young woman was pushed into one of the panels, snapping it from its vertical moorings.

According to Library Director Joe DaRold, the cost of repairs is estimated at about $5,000.

Unfortunately, I recently learned as Mayor Mapp's designee on the Library Board, public libraries are banned by state law from having a 'rainy day fund' to cover such unplanned-for expenses.

So, the Library will have to find some way to cover the cost of the repairs.

There was no police officer on duty at the time (there is usually one for a couple of hours after PHS lets out each day). One reason for that may be as an unintended consequence of the recent changes to hourly rates for officers on off-duty jobs.

With all the work being done by utility companies calling for traffic control by off-duty officers, it seems the $75/hour police get for those tasks is more attractive than the much lower rate for guarding the library.



  -- Dan Damon [follow]

View today's CLIPS here. Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to subscribe.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Dan,
The students were just in a rush to get into the library to read more books.